20d (edited) • Horse riding and showjumping
Straightness, balance and position
A simple yet powerful exercise you can easily practice with your horse:
This setup is designed to help both horse and rider improve in a clear and structured way.
🙋🏻♀️ For the RIDER, it’s all about POSITION and AWARENESS have time after the first ground poles to organize yourself, then through the line you can focus on:
- your balance
- the weight in your stirrups
- maintaining a soft but consistent contact
Most importantly: LOOK UP. Pick a reference point in front of you (a tree, a light pole, or something on the wall) and keep your eyes there.
🐴 For the HORSE, this exercise encourages:
- straightness (thanks to the corridor)
- rhythm and balance through the line
- better use of the body over the jumps
I also like to add the final ground pole to help the horse rebalance after the combination.
This is a great exercise because it creates the perfect situation for the horse to jump well, while allowing the rider to focus on themselves.
How to build it:
- Start with two ground poles set at 3m (3 steps)
- Then 10m (10 steps) to a combination (vertical ( or cross )–oxer) For warm-up, you can start with vertical–vertical
- Distance inside the combination: 6.5m (6.5 steps)
After the oxer:
- Add a ground pole at 3.2m (slightly more than 3 steps) Adjust slightly depending on the size of the oxer and your horse’s stride
Then:
- Add another ground pole at 13m (3 strides)
➡️ To ride the 3 strides correctly:
- allow the horse to finish the jump
- sit and collect immediately
- then soften again towards the pole
Pro tip
Always ride the exercise coming in from both left and right:
- left to right
- right to left
This keeps your horse straight and improves your control equally on both sides.
Let me know if you try it! I’d love to hear how it feels for you and your horse—and of course, feel free to ask any questions and to share your videos trying it !!
✨ Let’s improve together!!
0:15
3
4 comments
Straightness, balance and position
powered by
skool.com/lunar-veil-8194
Real growth for riders through shared learning, more accessible coaching, online, group or private classes, in-person training options.
Suggested communities
Powered by